Pandas No More...

I have always been a fan of panda bears and how exotic these species are in the bear family. With their black and white fur, you just can't stop yourself cooing these adorable asian bears.

Sad to say, these animals are facing extinction because of climate change. A recent study done by York University shows that climate change is actively redistributing plant and animal life.

A joint study done by York University and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, with Sichuan University and the Kunming Institute of Botany in China focused on the effect climate change in bamboos, which is the main source of food of these giant pandas.

Researchers found out that while some species of bamboos decreased in number due to global warming, other types significantly increased. The findings will help safeguard these endangered animals and hopefully determine sustainable action steps to conserve this type of bear specie.

Professor Steve Blackmore, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh said: "Pandas spend 14 hours a day eating, and bamboo forms 99% of their diet, so they are completely reliant on the right bamboo species being present in order to survive".

Pandas No More - click for full report.

Sarah Palin on the Environment

This coming November of 2008, the world will witness history in the making as democrats and republicans fight again to claim the presidency of the United States of America. Bush will no longer run this time and will allow two parties with different viewpoints clash and seek supremacy at the end of this year. But let me cut down the chase and focus on the stand of republican Governor Sarah Palin running for the vice-president position regarding the environment.

She claims that "climate change is not to be attributed as man made" during an interview with news week. Her state (Alaska) is by far the one who is affected most of it but still she insist that this is a natural phenomenon that is not solely blamable to mankind's actions. Now my position on that... BULL@#$%!

Looking at her platform on "environmental reforms", she is pro-oil drilling in the ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) because according to scientist, Alaska holds approximately 10.3 billions bbl of "recoverable undiscovered oil," which will make it the largest onshore oil deposits in the US. With her running mate Mccain who was quoted "if you want to drill, drill, drill, ANWR is where you will start" . 

ANWR is home of bears, gray wolves, sandhill cranes, and a herd of caribou. Now when you look at it in a very simplistic manner, opening up an oil-drilling center in that area will cause a domino effect in the ecology. You have to realize that in order to establish that oil-drilling activity, one must invest in transportation (thus creation of unwanted service roads), waste disposal and operation of heavy machinery that can add to the daily carbon emissions. Even though she promises to tapped only a portion (19 million acre) of the undiscovered oil, this will still make a dent in the surrounding areas. 

She is now even with Bush when it comes to environmental reforms and when you look at it, Bush even change his position today regarding climate change. He is now pro to capping the gas emissions of major companies to a minimum in order to minimize and eventually decrease the production of these gasses. 

There was even an instance that Sarah Palin sued the Federal Government for stating a fact that the polar bears are threatened species due to warming. Her act of suing is no doubt self-service since this statement can stop the policy in opening the ANWR for oil-drilling. 

Even though she claims that this will help the Americans solve the energy problem, most economist claim that this action can only cause a minimal change in the long-run. There is no guarantee that pushing for the onshore drilling will cause a rising effect in their economy.

To know more about her position for the environment, click here.

As for me, I say NO to Sarah Palin!